Possibilities for studying microlensing of distant quasars using the RADIOASTRON space interferometer

Gravitational lensing is a powerful tool for studies of the distribution of matter (including dark matter) in the Universe. The characteristic angular separation of images and characteristic variability time scale depend on the characteristic masses of the gravitational lenses. The construction of the RADIOASTRON space interferometer in the coming years will provide qualitatively new conditions for investigations of microlensing of distant quasars in the radio, since it will become possible not only to resolve individual microimages of these quasars, but also to observe astrometric microlensing (i.e., the shift of an image of a distant quasar, sometimes called weak microlensing). Astrometric microlensing by compact objects in the Galactic halo is not a very significant effect for the RADIOASTRON interferometer, since the probability of such events is low and the characteristic time scales involved appreciably exceed the proposed operational lifetime of the interferometer.     

The distribution of space velocities of radio pulsars

The distribution of the directions of the space velocities of 67 radio pulsars is shown to be strongly anisotropic. This anisotropy cannot be explained by the structure of our Galaxy or by various types of solar motions. Pulsars with stronger surface magnetic fields B have higher velocities V. The mean value of V for B < 10¹⁰ G is 108 km/s, while 〈V〉 = 340 km/s for B > 10¹⁰ G. These results must be taken into account when identifying a mechanism to explain the observed pulsar velocities and their anisotropy.     

Evolution of stars near bright quasars

We consider the evolution of stars that are located in the near vicinity of bright quasars and illuminated by their hard radiation. The absorption of the external radiation flux in the stellar envelope was calculated applying the formalism used to determine the opacity of the stellar material. The simulations show that the external irradiation heats the outer layers of the star, altering their structure and reducing the thickness of the convective envelope in low-mass stars, but leaves the inner layers essentially unaffected. In addition, the irradiation substantially increases the mass loss in the stars. This is important for our understanding of the evolution of quasar masses, since this increased mass loss by nearby stars can supply the quasar with additional accreting gas. The results can also be applied to detached binaries in which a low-mass star is irradiated by a very massive companion.     

Apparent motions of quasars due to microlensing

The effect of weak microlensing on the apparent velocities of extragalactic sources is considered; in particular, the apparent motions of sources from the ICRF list are discussed. We expect from two to seven cases of apparent motions of extragalactic sources due to weak microlensing by stars or dark bodies in our Galaxy to be detected over the next 30 years.     

A spectral analysis of microlensing variability of quasars

A procedure for calculating two-dimensional power spectra of microlensing magnification fields is presented. In the absence of a shift, the one-dimensional projections of the power spectra P(k) corresponding to the light curve of a point source moving in a linear trajectory can be approximated by the expression (a ² + k ²)^?1/2 (where a = const). The power spectrum of an extended source is treated like the product of the power spectrum of a point source and the power spectrum of the brightness distribution of the extended source. The effect of the extent of the source is that it acts like a filter, suppressing high-frequency components in the spectrum. Based on eight years of monitoring of the quad gravitational lens Q2237+0305 by the OGLE group, power spectra for all four images are constructed and the (temporal) size of the radiating region of the quasar in the V filter is estimated to be 24 ± 6 days; given the constraints on the transverse velocity of the lensing galaxy (<600 km/s), the linear size turns out to be <10¹⁵ cm.     

中国蛇绿岩的分布、时代及其形成环境

中国蛇绿岩分布很广，主要在中国的西部，西南部和北部，中部和南部较少，蛇绿岩形成的时代可分为元古宙，早古生代、晚古生代和中－新生代四个时期，中国元古宙蛇绿岩分布零星。星生宙蛇绿岩主要分布在古亚洲洋，秦祁昆洋，古特提斯洋，新特提斯洋和和环太平洋等5个区域，古亚洲洋蛇绿岩位于塔里木和华北地块之北的中国北方，秦祁昆洋位于塔里木、华北和扬子地块之间，古特提斯洋和新特提斯洋位于中国的西南地区，环太平洋带有东北和台湾的蛇绿岩，中国蛇绿岩的地和玻安岩产出，指示产于消减带之上的构造环境，在这些蛇绿岩中也有MORB产出，可能是弧后盆地环境的，也可能有正常大洋岩石圈碎片的残留。古特提斯蛇绿岩MORB发育，而减少与消减作用有关的岩石组（IAT和玻安岩），推测形成在陆间洋盆环境。     

Physical origins for variations in the apparent positions of quasars

The physical origins of the apparent motion of radio sources in the ICRF are considered. The sources can be divided into four groups, according to the characteristics of their motion. Here, we consider the model for the motion of the first group of sources—those displaying uniform linear motion. Since the apparent speeds of the radio sources are close to, and sometimes exceeding, the speed of light, it is natural to suppose that these sources are relativistic jets or plasma clouds moving with speeds close to the speed of light. Uniform linear motion can be explained by a model invoking precession of the jet. We consider the physical characteristics of a number of selected sources of the ICRF in the proposed model.     

甘肃省春季降水的空间异常分布及年代际变化

利用甘肃省80个气象站建站至2012年3-5月的降水量资料, 分析了甘肃省春季降水的基本气候特征; 通过EOF、REOF、小波分析等方法, 对甘肃春季降水的时空特性进行了研究, 用Mann-Kendall检验法检验了甘肃春季降水序列是否存在突变现象. 结果表明, 甘肃春季降水空间分布极不均匀, 其空间分布特征是东南部为多雨区、西北部为少雨区. 甘肃春季降水在第一空间尺度上为全区一致, 在第二空间尺度上可分为2个自然气候区, 在第三空间尺度上可分为7个自然气候区. 从年代际变化来看, 1960年代是近50 a来降水最多的10 a, 1990年代是降水最少的10 a; 甘肃春季降水的年际变率十分显著, 降水最多的年份是最少年份的近5倍. 1961-2012年间甘肃春季降水发生了明显的突变, 1982年出现了一次增多趋势的突变, 1992年出现了一次减少趋势的突变. 5 a的短周期和18～19 a的长周期是其主要周期. 甘肃春季降水偏少(多)年份的500 hPa异常环流形势为极涡弱(强)、中纬度亚洲为一脊一槽型、东亚大槽深(浅)、南支槽浅(深).     

Polarization structure of 12 gamma-ray quasars at 5 and 15 GHz

The results of dual-frequency polarization observations of 12 gamma-ray quasars are presented (as a continuation of a study of six blazars carried out earlier). The observations were obtained with the American Very Long Baseline Array. The distributions of intensity and polarization were obtained at 5 and 15 GHz. The degrees of polarization in the cores and jets of the 18 gamma-ray quasars do not stand out from those of other quasars. The brightness temperatures of the core components do not strongly exceed 10¹² K.     

Polarization structure of six gamma-ray quasars at 5 and 15 GHz

The results of 5 and 15 GHz polarization observations of the six blazars 1222+216, 1406−076, 1606+106, 1611+343, 17415-038, and 2022−077 obtained on the American Very Long Baseline Array are presented. The degrees of polarization in the cores and jets of these six gamma-ray quasars do not differ from those for other blazars.     

中国一些主要金属矿床类型及其时空分布规律问题

中国已发现了许多规模较大的金属矿床，其中以铁-铜-镍、锌-铅、锰-铝和钨-锡-钼十种四组矿床最具特色。它们分别产于前寒武纪古陆和显生宙的地槽褶皱系中。比较发育的成矿期是太古一早元古代、中元古代、晚古生代和中生代。根据许多矿床分别产于以海相喷出沉积为主和喷出、侵入均极发育的不同地质构造环境中，说明一些金属矿床的形成是严格地受地质构造环境控制的。在地质构造演化历史过程中，类似的地质构造环境虽然可以形成近似的矿床，但这仅是少数矿床类型，总的说成矿作用是由简而繁，显生宙比隐生宙出现更多的新矿床类型。因此中国一些金属矿床的时空分布是明显地具有一定的规律性的。     

The geographical space of big companies

During its active life a large firm adopts several representations of the space with which it is in contact. The author is concerned with the recognition of the principal traits of these representations, based upon the results of questionnaires and interviews with representatives of a dozen French companies of international standing.Industrial space is signified by the distribution of productive forces, analysed and enumerated by classical geography. It has served as the basis of a systematisation aimed at the construction of a science of localisation. Nevertheless the factors compared are not of constant value.Commercial space which guides the sale-effort is structured by town centres and their level of attractiveness. Largely influenced by political geography it escapes complete domination because of the flux of commercial relationships.The thoughts of directors are exercised periodically at the level of world markets, monetary zones and tariffs, and the poles of decision that determine the march of events. In the last analysis strategic space thus perceived is financial space.     

The space velocities of radio pulsars

Known models proposed to explain the high space velocities of pulsars based on asymmetry of the transport coefficients of different sorts of neutrinos or electromagnetic radiation can be efficient only in the presence of high magnetic fields (to 10¹⁶ G) or short rotation periods for the neutron stars (of the order of 1 ms). This current study shows that the observed velocities are not correlated with either the pulsar periods or their surface magnetic fields. The initial rotation periods are estimated in a model for the magnetedipolar deceleration of their spin, aßsuming that the pulsar ages are equal to their kinematic ages. The initial period distribution is bimodal, with peaks at 5 ms and 0.5 s, and similar to the current distribution of periods. It is shown that asymmetry of the pulsar electromagnetic radiation is insufficient to give rise to additional acceleration of pulsars during their evolution after the supernova explosion that gave birth to them. The observations testify to deceleration of the motion, most likely due to the influence of the interstellar medium and interactions with nearby objects. The time scale for the exponential decrease in the magnetic field τ_D and in the angle between the rotation axis and magnetic moment τ_ß are estimated, yielding τ_β = 1.4 million years. The derived dependence of the transverse velocity of a pulsar on the angle between the line of sight and the rotation axis of the neutron star corresponds to the expected dependence for acceleration mechanisms associated with asymmetry of the radiation emitted by the two poles of the star.     

Possible mechanisms for the polarization of the radiation of Active Galactic Nuclei and quasars

Two mechanisms for the formation of polarized radiation in Active Galactic Nuclei and quasars are considered-synchrotron radiation from a jet and the emergence of radiation from a magnetized, optically thick accretion disk (the Milne problem in a magnetized atmosphere). These mechanisms are applied to the polarization of objects studied in [1]. We have shown that the polarization of some sources cannot be explained as synchrotron radiation. The second mechanism is more general and, in principle, can be applied to the polarized radiation of all the sources in [1].     

Dependence of the spins of supermassive black holes in quasars on their cosmological redshifts

Data on the dependences of the masses and bolometric luminosities of Active Galactic Nuclei on their cosmological redshifts are used to determine the redshift dependences of their X-ray luminosities and the kinetic powers of their relativistic jets. These results are used, in turn, to obtain the redshift dependence of the spins of the central supermassive black holes.     

Radio synchrotron emission by protons and electrons in pulsars and the nuclei of quasars

Relations enabling estimation of the limiting brightness temperature of synchrotron radiation subject to self-absorption and inverse Compton scattering are presented for the case of relativistic electrons (positrons) and protons. Analogous expressions are presented for relativistic particles moving along curved magnetic lines of force (curvature radiation) and coherent radiation by relativistic particles. These relations can be used to determine the brightness temperatures expected for the central regions of active galactic nuclei, neutron stars, and other objects that produce relativistic particles. Radiation by relativistic protons yields higher intensities, and could be a source of the highest-energy cosmic rays.     

Understanding distribution and abundance of metals with space and time in estuarine mudflat sedimentary environment

Spatial and depth-wise distribution of sediment components, organic carbon and selected metals (Fe, Mn, Al, Ni, Cr, Co, Zn and Pb) is studied across upper and middle tidal flats from lower and middle estuarine regions of Kundalika Estuary, central west coast of India. Silt and clay form the major components in lower and middle estuary, respectively. Sand, silt, clay and organic carbon showed band-type distribution along the estuary. The sediment deposition over the years took place in varying hydrodynamic conditions in lower and middle estuarine regions. Upper flats of the lower estuary represent mud while middle flats of the lower estuary facilitated the deposition of sandy mud. Correlation results indicated the importance of clay and organic carbon in removal and trapping of metals at lower and middle estuary, respectively. Factor analysis indicated that the distribution of metals is largely controlled by Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides and organic carbon. The middle flats of the lower estuary showed an anthropogenic source for Ni, Cr and Co while middle flats of the middle estuary showed a mainly lithogenic source.     

Evaluating the tephra input into Pacific Ocean sediments: distribution in space and time

We studied the volcanic contribution to the global sediment budget in the Pacific Ocean basin. It is the world's oldest (174 m.y.) and largest (≈49% of Earth's surface area) ocean basin and has had a high and continuous tephra influx from intraplate and convergent margin volcanoes through time. Computerized shipboard data from 65 legs of the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) and the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) were screened for the presence of volcaniclastic components. Tephra-bearing and tephra-free core sections (standard 1.5- and 0.30-m core catcher sections) were separated, regardless of the mass fraction of tephra present. The percentage of tephra-bearing core sections ("tephra frequency") per site and time span ("age unit") was calculated. The age units were the Quaternary, the subepochs of the Tertiary, and the stages of the Cretaceous. A total of 424 drill sites yielded 1433 usable stratigraphic units. Fifty percent are younger than 13 m.y., corresponding to only approximately 10% of the total interval studied (124.5 m.y.). The percentage of tephra-bearing age units is high throughout (83±6%) and correlates linearly with the total number of age units (R ² =0.998; n=17). The average tephra frequency (30–50%) fluctuates, because the abundance of age units of different tephra frequency classes (0, 1–33, 34–67, 68–100% tephra frequency) varies with time. This indicates that the Cenozoic increase in tephra production results from increase in volcanicity and not spatial extension of volcanic source areas. The Cenozoic sediments that were recovered are dominated by distal tephra from explosive arc volcanism. Pulses of arc volcanism occurred in the Pliocene–Quaternary (since ≈5 m.y.) and mid-Miocene (≈12–15 m.y.). However, the record of explosive arc volcanism in Paleogene and Cretaceous sediments was either not drilled or has been destroyed by subduction. Except for the Cretaceous (≈70–110 m.y.) volcanic pulse, intraplate volcanism is poorly represented in the tephra record because the drill sites are outside the proximal range (>500–1000 km) of the sources. Thus, the tephra record drilled contains significant gaps that bias the estimate of tephra volume towards the less voluminous distal deposits. Most of the volcaniclastic volume accumulated by mass wasting as volcaniclastic aprons surrounding ocean island volcanoes. Volcaniclastic production rates range from 10,000 to 41,800 km³/m.y. for large intraplate volcanoes and approximately 10–13 km³/km arc length per million years for oceanic island arcs. Extrapolation over the lifetime of major Pacific arcs and hotspot chains, combined with a volume estimate of the distal tephra component, indicates a minimum of 9.3×10⁶ km³ of tephra, corresponding to 23 vol.% of the existing Pacific oceanic sediments. At least two thirds of the tephra volume was deposited in the proximal range and at least half of it is derived from intraplate sources. The large proportion of tephra, its composition, and its localized accumulation causes significant spatial and temporal variation in Pacific oceanic sediments that should have a perceptible impact on the elemental fluxes between ocean, crust, and mantle.     

Estimation of the acceleration of the solar-system barycenter relative to a system of reference quasars

It is shown that geodetic VLBI observations can be used to estimate the external acceleration of the barycenter of the solar system. This relies on the fact that, in special relativity, the acceleration of the motion of a coordinate origin relative to reference points leads to a drift in the secular aberration, manifest as systematic proper motions of the reference points in the direction of the acceleration vector. The VLBI time-delay equation is modified such that the acceleration vector appears in explicit form. Formulas for a new form of the fundamental VLBI equation and its partial derivative with respect to the acceleration are presented.